Facebook is helping to create jobs and develop digital skills in India

TT Correspondent | | 23 Nov 2017

Social Media Giant Facebook, on Wednesday introduced Facebook Digital Training and Facebook Startup Training Hubs, personalised online learning to help small businesses and people in India grow by giving them the digital skills they need to compete in today’s digital economy.

Aiming to train more than half a million people in India by 2020, these online training hubs, which are being rolled out first in India and have been developed with local organizations, will provide digital skills and training for people in need of work, advise entrepreneurs how to get started and help existing businesses and nonprofits get the most out of the internet.

We worked with local organizations, including DigitalVidya, EDII, DharmaLife and StartupIndia, to develop the learning curriculum, which is personalised to the individual's needs and available in English and Hindi on mobile. The curriculum includes vital skills for digital skill seekers and tech entrepreneurs, including how to protect your ideas, how to hire, how to go about getting funding, what regulations and legal hurdles you need to consider, how to build an online reputation, and a whole host of other critical skills required to succeed in today's digital world. This could mean teaching a small business owner how to create an online presence; helping a non-profit reach new communities and potential donors; or it could mean helping a tech entrepreneur turn their product idea into a startup through practical business advice.

• Facebook Digital Training Hub: this online training hub provides free social and content marketing training (not just Facebook) for anyone - from students to business owners - who is looking to develop their digital knowledge and skills. The curriculum includes social media basics, how to build and create an audience, how to create content, how to measure online activity, and stay ahead of the curve. Helping arm people with vital skills such as personal branding, digital storytelling, consumer behaviour, reputation management. https://digitalskills.fb.com
• Facebook Startup Training Hub: this online training hub will help developers and tech startups build better products and businesses. The curriculum covers how to build a business plan, how to build a product and how to grow a business. This includes vital aspects of setting up a company - idea protection, regulations, business planning, market research, hiring, funding, company expansion. https://startups.fb.com

We will continue to add lessons and content in the coming months, adapting the curriculum based on people's feedback.

The digital economy is already delivering significant value in India. According to new research by Morning Consult in partnership with Facebook, small businesses' use of digital translates into new jobs and opportunities for communities across the country:

• Nearly 81% of small and medium businesses on Facebook in India say they’ve been able to hire more employees due to growth in demand since joining Facebook.
• 81% of small and medium businesses on Facebook in India say they have increased sales because of the platform
• 86% of small and medium businesses on Facebook in India say Facebook has helped them sell their products or services in other cities, states or countries

We know that digital skills are important when people are looking for jobs:

• Almost 93% of small and medium businesses surveyed in India say that digital and social media skills are more important when making hiring decisions. In fact, they're more important to SMBs than where someone went to school.
• 89% of small and medium businesses surveyed in India report that having a lack of familiarity with digital tools available is challenge

Since 2011 Facebook has invested more than $1 billion to support small businesses globally. Facebook Boost Your Business and She Means Business has trained more than 60,000 small businesses, including 12,000 women entrepreneurs, in India. We want to do more to support communities across India. We want to help businesses and startups grow, and we want to help people acquire the digital skills they need to get a job and grow in today's digital world.

It's why we're introducing our online training hubs:

• If you're a small business owner, our training hubs will offer you ways to expand your digital footprint and find news customers around the corner and around the globe.
• If you're an entrepreneur, our training hubs will help you turn your idea into a startup with practical business advice from how to start market research to how to set up a business license in India
• If you want to support your community or you work for a non-profit, our training hubs will provide training on how to connect with people and build an online presence for you cause or community.

“Digital skills unlock opportunities, empower people to dream big, build products, grow businesses and foster communities. We believe the best way to prepare India for a digital economy is by equipping people with the tools, knowledge, and skills they need to succeed. We want more people to be have the opportunity to build their skills, build a business or build something for their community — because investing in people can lead to incredible things,” said Ritesh Mehta, Head of Programs, Facebook, India & South Asia.

“India's entrepreneurs are changing; each day more businesses begin and are as varied as they are innovative. But a great idea is just a beginning, success will only be achieved if we support entrepreneurs to build the business skills they need to secure sustainable business growth. Startup India Hub is proud to partner with Facebook and build a program that will provide business skills development to ensure the success of our newest entrepreneurs, our future will be brighter when we work together,” said Deepak Bagla, Managing Director & CEO Invest India.

“Digital Vidya supports professionals, students, and entrepreneurs in acquiring Digital Marketing skills. Acquiring Digital Marketing skills not only create employment opportunities but it also helps professionals to improve their performance in their existing job profiles including Sales, Marketing, HR, and Product Development. We believe Digital Marketing Skills can contribute significantly to the rapid growth and transformation of India's economy. By working with Facebook, we are committed to developing programs that will support everyone who wants to leverage digital marketing for their professional growth. These programs will everyone to grow and thrive in today's digital world,” said Kapil Nakra, Co-founder of Digital Vidya.